Doctor Syn on the High Seas - Thorndike Russell. Страница 29

Mr. Cobtree will give you a receipt to sign, I then shall want from you,

my good Wraight, another estimate, which I will pay for now, as soon as

we agree. I want all the work which you have executed to be removed as

soon as possible. In short, I wish this good Vicara ge to be put back

exactly as it was. As I told you, I am willing to abide by my mistake,

and I do not chose to saddle my successors with so large a house as now

it stands. Dilapidation become a heavy charge for outgoing incumbents.

You need not question my authority for this, since I have gained the

permission of my patron, Sir Charles Cobtree, who, as you know, is

warden of this Living. Will you undertake this at once?”

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Wraight nodded. “It be the strangest job I ever had.”

“Ah, Wraight, old friend,” said the Doctor sadly, “there are the

strangest circumstances connected with it, I assure you, and in giving

you this order, I confess I am not thinking only of my successors here.”

“We are not wanting your successors, sir,” replied Wraight. “As to

any other motive you may have, I respect your silence, sir. And in that

I know I speak for the whole village, sir.”

“God has at least possessed me with many faithful friends,” replied

the Doctor.

Thus did old Wraight voice for the village their unspoken sympathy.

A few days later Doctor Syn rode back to Oxford. In returning the

borrowed pack-horse to Iffley, he found that the estate was up for sale.

So the fox will not return to that hole , he wrote to Tony. He also

described the or deal he undertook while visiting White Friars.

The deeper I plumb the depths of their deception, the higher must I soar

in the Heaven of my Vengeance. It appears that the sudden illness of my

wife was for the most part feigned. And I dare swear at his suggestion.

Hardly had I left her, but he was there and welcomed. He wrote to me

each day of her improvement, as you know, and she did improve to him.

Why did I not obey a loving instinct that came to me when but a mile

outside town? It was a compelling urge to gallop back and kiss her.

Thinking she would be sleeping, I conquered the desire. Had I not done

so, I should have found her up and singing with him to those damned

guitars. More could I tell you, but why abuse good ink and paper with

things so damnable? One fact enraged me at the time, I think almost as

much as their worst sinning, for when I asked for my account of

accommodation, I found that the rascal had had the impertinence to

settle this for me. Since the good lady honestly refused my double

payment, I took the amount into St. Giles’ and gave it to the first

beggar I encountered. My few possessions here I have packed and sent by

coach, and I intend to ride back within the next day or so. But I must

first glean what information I can concerning our rascal from the

servants at Iffley. Disgruntled at their abrupt discharge, they will

not doubt be bribable.

On returning to Dymchurch, Doctor Syn continued to reside at the

Court-House. When the Vicarage had been restored according to his

direction, he installed there, at his expense, a married parson, who

should act as his curate, and be ready to take over his duties when he

was ready to set out upon his vengeance. Tony and his wife, who lived

in a separate wing of the Court-House, n ever dared to ask him when this

would be, and as the months went by, and still he carried on his work,

they hoped he might in time forget. But all the while the Doctor was

preparing. Relieved of much of his work, he had ample leisure to ride

about the co untryside. In the town of Sandgate he discovered, to his

joy, a Spanish prisoner living on parole. He struck a friendly bargain

with this gentleman to teach him Spanish. With him he wrote and read

and talked, promising this exile that as soon as he had made him

proficient, he in his turn would pay the residue of his ransom and use

his influence to get him back to Spain. Many an hour did these two pore

over Spanish maps, and from many a lively description Doctor Syn was

soon familiar with the manners and customs of that country. Fortunately

the Spaniard was well acquainted with the port of San Sebastian, and he

described this place so vividly that Doctor Syn could walk the streets

of it in imagination. This was important to him, for he knew that San

Sebastian was the port of lading for his enemy’s ship. The Spaniard was

also a master of fence, and knew many

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tricks that we new to the Doctor, who was able to pass them on to Tony,

with whom he exercised with swords daily.

At last there came a day when, in the midst of a lesson, the Spaniard

clapped the Doctor on the back and said:

“I have no more need to teach. Your conversation is admirable, and,

hardest of all to accomplish, your accent and pronunciation are as good

as any Spanish gentleman I know.”

“Then I can wind up my business here,” replied the Doctor. “I have

already settled yours for you, and so the sooner we set sail for San

Sebastian, the better we shall both be pleased.”

It was then arranged that they should said together, and Captain

Esnada—for that was the Spaniard’s title—begged of him to stay in his

company at this daughter’s house upon arrival. Liking him well, and

perceiving that he would be of the utmost service to him in Spain, the

Doctor readily consented.

It took him but a day or so to arrange with his Uncle Solomon a

banker’s system by which he could readily draw money abroad, and then,

after handing over his full duties to the worthy curate who it was

arranged should succeed him, Doctor Syn preached his farewell sermon,

took leave of the Cobtrees and the village of Dymchurch, and in the

company with Esnada took coach to London. To be sure, he had first

taken solemn oath to keep Tony informed of his progress, and as a

parting gift bequeathed him his favourite horse, an old and faithful

friend he was loath to lose.

“I will but keep him for you against your return,” Tony had said.

“When you have settled your score, you must return, for you know that my

father will see you back again into the Living.”

But t he Doctor shook his head at that. “I fear,” he had said, “that

my good friend’s hunting days will have passed away before I preach

again in Dymchurch. In fact, ‘tis likely I shall never preach again.”

This was untrue, as afterwards befell, but it was long years before

he was to preach again in Dymchurch.

While waiting for a vessel to convey them to Amsterdam, whence they

could re -ship for Spain, Doctor Syn occupied his time in making

inquiries concerning the fruit-ship owned by Nicholas. He learned that

it had not returned to London Docks since the voyage of seduction. He

was glad of this, knowing that

Nicholas was afraid of him. They were not long in Amsterdam, for they

found a Spanish merchantman ready to sail the very next day after their

arrival, and having no other passengers booked for that voyage, the

captain was glad of their company and money.

Now, since they were bound for a Catholic country, Esnada persuaded

Syn to drop his title of an English parson, and, as England was not

popular, to confine his talk to Spanish. This the young Doctor agreed

to do, and although he still retained his black cloth suit, which was

elegantly cut, he changed his white tabs of office for a lace cravat.

He had never shaved his head to wear the formal wig then in use for